Many photographic materials, particularly color negative films, contain so-called DIR (development inhibitor releasing) couplers. In addition to forming imaging dye, DIR couplers release inhibitors that can restrain silver development in the layer in which release occurs as well as in other layers of a multilayer photographic material. DIR couplers can help control gamma (contrast), can enhance sharpness (acutance), can reduce granularity and can provide color correction via interlayer interimage effects. U.S. Pat. No. 3,933,500 broadly discloses DIR couplers with azole-type coupling off groups, including pyrazolone coulers. Specificaly U.S. Pat. No. 3,933,500 discloses DIR couplers having a simple purine coupling off group. This simple purine is a relatively ineffective inhibitor of silver development.